You may associate El Nino with increased rain in California and areas in the Southwest. However,
you may not realize that strong El Nino conditions can cause unpredictable
weather across the United States. Although weather experts hesitate to
attribute specific extreme weather events solely to El Nino, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is warning residents from coast to coast
to expect higher-than-average precipitation for the next few months.

All it takes is one storm to
cause a flood, and just a few inches of water can cause tens of thousands of
dollars in damage. Without flood insurance, residents could be left paying for
the damage out of pocket since homeowners, renters and business policies
typically don't cover flood damage. Don't wait until hurricane season to encourage
residents to protect what matters, because it's not just a house-it's their home.

Talk to Residents about Flood
Insurance

Flood
insurance may not prevent a flood, but it can help homeowners get back on their
feet in the event of a flood. A flood insurance policy will give them peace of
mind knowing that they are covered if the unexpected happens. Provide them with
the right information to protect their investment.

To educate residents
in your community about their flood risk and financial preparedness,
FloodSmart-the marketing and education campaign of the National Flood Insurance
Program-offers several tools and resources on FloodSmart.gov that
you can use, including:

The One-Step
Flood Risk Profile to provide
an estimation of a property's flood risk and direct residents to local
insurance agents, who can provide additional information on a flood
insurance policy.

The Cost of
Flooding tool, which
you can embed on your website to illustrate how
just a few inches of water can cost tens of thousands of dollars in
damage.

Consumer and business checklists to help residents prepare before
the next disaster strikes.

Seasonal
social media
messages that you can
share through your own Facebook and Twitter platforms to educate residents.

Marketing webinars
that review FloodSmart's tools and resources and
how to use them in your outreach efforts.

This spring El Nino brings an increased risk of flooding to
your area. Now is the time to reach out to residents to help them better understand
their flood risk, and encourage them to protect what matters with a flood
insurance policy. Visit FloodSmart.gov/partners to
learn more.